Dissociable effects of advanced age on prefrontal cortical and medial temporal lobe ensemble activity

The link between age-related cellular changes within brain regions and larger scale neuronal ensemble dynamics critical for cognition has not been fully elucidated. The present study measured neuron activity within medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), perirhinal cortex (PER), and hippocampal subregion CA...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neurobiology of aging 2018-10, Vol.70, p.217-232
Main Authors: Hernandez, Abbi R., Reasor, Jordan E., Truckenbrod, Leah M., Campos, Keila T., Federico, Quinten P., Fertal, Kaeli E., Lubke, Katelyn N., Johnson, Sarah A., Clark, Benjamin J., Maurer, Andrew. P., Burke, Sara N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging - physiology
Animals
Arc
Association Learning - physiology
Behavior, Animal
CA1
CA1 Region, Hippocampal - physiology
Cognition
Cytoskeletal Proteins - metabolism
Infralimbic cortex
Male
Nerve Tissue Proteins - metabolism
Neural Pathways - physiology
Neurons - physiology
Perirhinal Cortex - physiology
Prefrontal Cortex - physiology
Prelimbic cortex
Rats, Inbred F344
Temporal Lobe - physiology
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Summary:The link between age-related cellular changes within brain regions and larger scale neuronal ensemble dynamics critical for cognition has not been fully elucidated. The present study measured neuron activity within medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), perirhinal cortex (PER), and hippocampal subregion CA1 of young and aged rats by labeling expression of the immediate-early gene Arc. The proportion of cells expressing Arc was quantified at baseline and after a behavior that requires these regions. In addition, PER and CA1 projection neurons to PFC were identified with retrograde labeling. Within CA1, no age-related differences in neuronal activity were observed in the entire neuron population or within CA1 pyramidal cells that project to PFC. Although behavior was comparable across age groups, behaviorally driven Arc expression was higher in the deep layers of both PER and PFC and lower in the superficial layers of these regions. Moreover, age-related changes in activity levels were most evident within PER cells that project to PFC. These data suggest that the PER-PFC circuit is particularly vulnerable in advanced age.
ISSN:0197-4580
1558-1497
DOI:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.06.028